Online Medical Misinformation in Cancer: Distinguishing Fact From Fiction

Abstract

It is without question that the Internet has democratized access to medical information, with estimates that 70% of the American population use it as a resource, particularly for cancer-related information. Such unfettered access to information has led to an increase in health misinformation. Fortunately, the data indicate that health care professionals remain among the most trusted information resources. Therefore, understanding how the Internet has changed engagement with health information and facilitated the spread of misinformation is an important task and challenge for cancer clinicians. In this review, we perform a meta-synthesis of qualitative data and point toward empirical evidence that characterizes misinformation in medicine, specifically in oncology. We present this as a call to action for all clinicians to become more active in ongoing efforts to combat misinformation in oncology.

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“… 34 Thus, these patients are especially vulnerable to misinformation that could lead to delays in treatment, the toxicity of alternative therapies, or adverse interactions with standard care. 6 …”

“…34 Thus, these patients are especially vulnerable to misinformation that could lead to delays in treatment, the toxicity of alternative therapies, or adverse interactions with standard care. 6 Some organisations have taken initial steps to reduce the increasing amount of misinformation on healthcare. Examples include fact checking approaches, such as the website Rumor Control by the US Food and Drug Administration, 35 and "inoculation" approaches that include tutorials informing people of fake news to help them to make better choices about what to share online.…”

“…They open a direct avenue of misinformation (false information that is spread, regardless of intent to mislead) and disinformation (misinformation that is circulated intentionally for secondary gains—namely, money, reputation, or power), posing health concerns. 6 7 Conspiracy beliefs are the extreme results of misinformation and widespread suspicions of the real world. These include the beliefs that the earth is flat, that humanoids take reptilian forms to manipulate human societies, or that condensation trails from planes are “chemtrails” comprising agents sprayed for evil purposes.…”

“…Although communication technologies and social media provide new opportunities to access health information, they also have a pervasive effect. They open a direct avenue of misinformation (false information that is spread, regardless of intent to mislead) and disinformation (misinformation that is circulated intentionally for secondary gains—namely, money, reputation, or power), posing health concerns 67. Conspiracy beliefs are the extreme results of misinformation and widespread suspicions of the real world.…”

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“…3 Although this instantaneous access to medical information can be beneficial and empower patients to advocate for themselves and others in their cancer communities, many online sources, social media in particular, are often not vetted by physicians or other health care professionals and have a high risk of containing misinformation. 4 Author affiliations and support information (if applicable) appear at the end of this article.…”